How the cochlea computes (2024)

Tbh I used to think that it does. For example, when playing higher notes, it's harder to hear the out-of-tune frequencies than on the lower notes.

I haven't noticed that effect, to be honest. Actually I think its the really low bass frequencies that are harder to tune- especially if you remove the harmonics and just leave the fundamental.

Are you perhaps experiencing some high frequency hearing loss?

It's even more complex than that. The low notes are hard to tune because the fundamentals are very close to each other and you need to have super good hearing to match the beats, fortunately they sound for a long time so that helps. Missing fundamentals are a funny thing too, you might not be 'hearing' what you think you hear at all! The high notes are hard to tune because they sound very briefly (definitely on a piano) and even the slightest movement of the pin will change the pitch considerably.

In the middle range (say, A2 through A6) neither of these issues apply, so it is - by far - the easiest to tune.